Adults With Eating Disorders Get Help

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Adults who are affected by eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia will now be able to get extra help and support.

NHS Norfolk alongsie Norwich based charity Beat are opening up a centre in Norwich and hope to provide faster care and treatment for people with eating disorders.

The service was pioneered by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT).

CPFT has been given a three-year contract by NHS Norfolk. It's hoped if the service is successful it will be rolled out to other areas.

CPFT has been running this service since 2004, with in-patient and outpatient services in Cambridge, Peterborough and Huntingdon.

Patients are offered specialist assessments by clinical psychologists, advice and a range of psychological treatments.

Francis Burrows from Beat said NHS Norfolk residents will receive better help than previously.

He said: "This new service has a much wider remit and it will support people with bulimia and binge eating disorder, which are the two most common types of eating disorder."

It also aims to provide faster care and treatment before the illness develops and cut the number of referral stages before action is taken.

Dr Madeleine Tatham, consultant clinical psychologist from CPFT, said: "Together with Beat, we hope to ensure the early detection and treatment of eating disorders and to work closely with other services to promote the recovery of people with eating disorders."

There will eventually be nine self-help groups in Norfolk.

GPs and the Norfolk Eating Disorder Association can refer people to the service, or they can directly refer themselves.

Mr Burrows believes the service could be replicated by other NHS trusts around the country.

If you're worried about a friend or relative or need support yourself- you can call the Norfolk Specialist Number on 0300 300 0115 or go to their website, http://www.b-eat.co.uk/Home